


Reflections of a Once Dead Tiefling

by CryoCait



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, I love Molly but I also love pain, Introspection, Resurrection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 21:26:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17815799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CryoCait/pseuds/CryoCait
Summary: He doesn’t know how long he was gone. Years, he knows. Years and years. They all changed and matured and grew.They were all so different and he was so painfully the same.





	Reflections of a Once Dead Tiefling

He wish he knew what forces brought him back.

He doesn’t, of course. He just awoke as he did last time, nearly suffocating on dirt and clawing his way out of a shallow grave. There were differences this time, though. Unlike his first trip to the ground, this time he woke up with his name still on his lips, and people to get home to.

He found the Mighty Nein after six months of travel. They had “long left” Zadash according to the Gentleman and a very confused Cree. He followed their trail to Nicodranas, Felderwin, he even trekked to _Xhorhas_ for them. Finally, he made it to Rexxentrum. To a pretty house with cream colored paint and dark trim with a large lawn and a very solid fence around it. This, the people said, was the home of the revered Mighty Nein, the heroes of Wildemount. He had heard the stories as he travelled over the countryside. Something about a war, the dodecahedron, and a dragon? He wasn’t sure. Six months is a long time to travel, but he didn’t feel like it was enough to have all of those events happen.

How long was he trapped underneath the earth, he wondered.

They were wary at first. He didn’t blame them, he would be wary too if someone you thought long dead stood on your doorstep.

After he got past their interrogation, the reunion was sweet. Beau, launching herself onto him. Jester cries, and Yasha weeps. The reunion is sweet, but it doesn’t last forever.

He starts noticing the changes immediately. The grey weaving its way through Fjord’s hair, the subtle crows feet around Beau’s eyes. The _entirely polymorphed Nott_ who was apparently a halfling once? He has a lot to catch up on in that regard. The matching gold bands on Yasha and Beau’s hands don’t escape him for a second, and he has a grand time ribbing them both for it.

He slowly but surely learns of the many years that passed between then and now, and the adventures they had along the way. He meets Caduceus, who he instantly takes a liking to, the man drinks dead people tea, how incredible is that?

He doesn’t miss the differences. Nott’s husband and son live with them, Yeza typically keeping to his lab in the basement. Explosions become a very normal experience for him.

Beau seems much calmer, and students from the Cobalt Soul file their way in and out of the home every day as she teaches them basic self defense and attacks. They always walk out beaten and bruised but they’re so happy and Beau is so proud of them.

Caleb smiles more. Caleb smiles even more when Jester returns home from a day in town, a basket full of flowers and pastries and always a book in her basket for him. She wraps her arms around his shoulders from behind as he reads, whispering something in his ear that makes him laugh ever so lightly. She kisses his cheek, and he turns to kiss her softly on the lips.

No, he never expected that at all.

Two weeks after his return, a carriage pulls into the drive. Jester jumps up from her seat on the veranda and runs to greet them, screaming for the others and Caleb, Caleb, _Caleb get down here they’re home they’re home._ A woman steps from the carriage. A red tiefling, the most beautiful he’s ever seen. From the way she wraps Jester up he can only presume this is her mother. Caleb, always on Jester’s heels, gets a soft hug as well. It’s good, he thinks, that Jester has her mother.

But then another figure steps out.

It’s smaller, a little girl, he realizes. A small thing, maybe four or five years old. Tiefling as well, he realizes. Light blue, with tiny little horns. She yells and jumps straight into Jester’s arms. He’s too far away to make out what they’re saying, but as he inches closer he sees Jester swing her around and around. When she lets go, he can hear clearly enough the little girls yell.

“Papa!” She leaps into Caleb’s arms and he sinks to the ground holding her, whispering something in her ear that he just can’t hear. But he heard enough to understand.

Things click a little for him then.

He doesn’t know how long he was gone. Years, he knows. Years and years. They all changed and matured and _grew._

They were all so different and he was so painfully the same.

Nott, Veth, _whoever_ had her family.

Beau and Yasha were married.

Fjord came into his own.

Caduceus was their calming balm.

Caleb and Jester built their own little family, complete with a young one who loved to play with little Luke.

They were a family, and he wasn’t a part of anymore, no matter what they tried to tell him.

He wishes he knew what forces brought him back, because Mollymauk Tealeaf desperately wanted nothing more than to punch them in the teeth and tell them to put him back in the ground.

**Author's Note:**

> I truly do not know what this is at all. My brain said "Hey, have you considered hurting yourself because you love Widomauk but you love Widojest even more and Molly is dead but you have the power to bring him back?" 
> 
> Thanks to the folks over on the Widojest discord server because y'all motivate me like no one else.


End file.
